Incidents in 2014 Brazil January 14, 2014 - São Paulo - A swastika was found spray painted on the external wall of the Jewish Cultural Center. Mexico January 8, 2014 - Mexico City - A banner was found near the Mexican Senate that read “All of Peña Nieto’s public authorities are Jews,” “They steal millions,” “Go leave for Israel,” “Jewish murderers,” and “Bring Peña Nieto to Israel and all of the PRI-PAN...

Criminal activity in northern Mexico threatens to undermine an ongoing effort to open the country to foreign oil and gas producers for the first time in decades, a new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute warns. The report comes as Mexico hammers out the details of constitutional changes approved last year that soon will allow foreign energy companies to bid on access to the country’s oil and gas resources, which for decades have been controlled exclusively by the...

Women’s empowerment and political participation are not only crucial for women: they are essential for effective democratic governance, one which promotes human rights and equity. The same can be said about the importance of boosting youth political participation. The U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) invited three young women parliamentarians from Latin America and the Caribbean to join a recent discussion in Salamanca, Spain, on young women’s political participation in the...

Despite social and economic advances in the last two decades, Latin America is still the most unequal-and the most insecure region in the world. The Human Development Report for Latin America reveals new data on how crime and violence impact the region, highlighting a series of policy recommendations to effectively improve citizen security. "Due to its objectivity and sound analysis, as well as the relevance of its...

In December 2012, newly installed President Enrique Pena Nieto promised to switch the focus of Mexico's drug wars from tackling the gang leaders to reducing the crime and violence that affect the lives of Mexicans. What is the scale of the violence? Official figures have been issued only sporadically. Most estimates put the number of people killed in drug-related violence since late 2006 at more than 60,000. Although there is no official breakdown of the numbers, the victims include...

Latin America and the Caribbean will celebrate at least . This is good news. It reflects a region that has by-and-large consolidated democracy, and where an entire generation has now grown up with the expectation that elections are the only legitimate way to select national leaders. However, this cycle of elections in Latin America is taking place at very different juncture than the ones that took place during the first decade of the 21st century, with important consequences for the...

A border metropolis with a population of almost 3 million, Tijuana, Mexico, is a perfect location for bi-national, international, legal and illegal activities. Because it is the largest border metropolis in Mexico, Tijuana is a popular place for the U.S. government to drop deported individuals. They seem to believe nobody will notice! Migrant groups intersect at the border - exiting and the other arriving. In recent years, the number of deportations has escalated to unprecedented figures....

Illegal activities such as drug trafficking, money laundering and smuggling are financing the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah in Latin America, according to experts and authorities. Increasingly strong evidence shows the Lebanon-based Shiite militia sponsored by Iran maintains ties with drug cartels and receives contributions from organized crime groups. “The money is used to maintain a military structure and finance social activities among Shiite populations in Lebanon and the...

MEXICO. - According to a report by the National Monitoring Council in Mexico, in the first four months of 2013, there has been an increase of 16.9% in kidnapping cases. The Mexican states that recorded the highest number of kidnappings are Hidalgo (11.21%), Michoacan (10.49%) and Tamaulipas (10.49%). In its periodic report of crimes with high impact, this NGO said that in the first quarter of 2013 there were 553 complaints of kidnapping, which would come out to about five cases of missing...

At a time when several Latin American economies should be "firing on all cylinders" to sustain growth and development, their critical petroleum sectors are under performing Despite hopeful projections, the biggest energy companies in Latin America are controlled by the state and are hampered by government interference and short-term political agendas. Although these companies should be the engines of growth for their national economies, resource nationalism and popular gasoline...